


"You're the best thing to happen to this world."

by MadameCristal



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Vernon Boyd & Erica Reyes, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Minor Cora Hale/Isaac Lahey, Minor Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Minor Scott McCall/Kira Yukimura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-09 08:20:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3242774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameCristal/pseuds/MadameCristal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened if Allison had never caught up to Erica and Boyd that night they left?</p><p>Erica and Boyd live. And boy do they live. </p><p>*Spans 11 years. Events of their life told from Erica POV.*</p>
            </blockquote>





	"You're the best thing to happen to this world."

**Author's Note:**

> This is my take on what would have happened if Erica and Boyd had made it away that night they left. Everything else still happened while they were off living somewhere else. 
> 
> This is my first fic and IT IS ALL FLUFF. In case you were looking for angst, this isn't it. Just happy Berica feels. ♥
> 
> Also, it's un-beta so all mistakes are my own! Hope there aren't too many!

_Someday she would go back. That’s what she had told herself as she’d run through the forest that night, hand clutched to her best friend in the world. Someday they would go back. Because she knew he would never leave her, nor would he ever let her go back alone. Because that’s what best friends do._

**December 2021**

Ten years ago Erica Reyes had fled Beacon Hill with her best friend in the world. They had been scared and confused, but they had each other. And really, that was all they needed. She’d felt guilty for leaving Isaac. He was her friend too. But he had Derek. Derek liked him best of all his betas. Derek would protect him. So she and Vernon Boyd had fled with no destination in mind.

Erica closed her eyes and gripped the firm hand of the man in the seat next to her and the plane took off. Together they were headed back to the place that she’d promised to return, if only to herself. It was time. She could feel him squeeze her hand. Everything would be alright.

“Vern, do you think they ever missed us?” she asked quietly. He looked at her with a soft smile that crinkled slightly at his eyes.

“How could they not miss you? You’re the best thing to happen to this world,” he answered. She smiled. No matter how many times she had heard those words, they never ceased to warm her to her core. It was what Vernon Boyd had told her that day that he had left Beacon Hills with her. The same thing he’d said before she’d taken her GED test. The same words he’d whispered the first time they’d made love. They were the last lines of his wedding vows. The first words he’d uttered when he saw their daughter. Most importantly, it was the last thing he told every night before he fell asleep, just in case she had forgotten how much she was loved.

“I love you,” she said, closing her eyes again and leaning onto his shoulder.

“I know honey,” she heard him murmur as she closed her eyes. She’d never really gotten used to flying, no matter how many flights she’d been on. It was easier to close her eyes and doze. This time, on her way back the place that once been her home, she found herself thinking back on her life.

**April 2011**

They’d made it to Los Angeles before stopping after fleeing from Beacon Hills. They’d checked into a cheap motel in Compton to rest.

“What now?” Boyd asked her. This was, after all, her idea. She knew Boyd would follow whatever plan she came up with, just as he’d followed her to LA.

“We need a plan,” she sighed. “We need a place to live, a job, probably a GED...” she said, sitting on the edge of the motel bed. They could do this. She just needed a moment to think. She sighed again.

“Just tell me where you wanna go. We have our birth certificates and social security cards, getting a GED, a place to sleep, a job. That’s all stuff we can do. But where do you want to go Erica? If you could be go anywhere, where would you choose to live?” he asked sitting on the bed next to her.

“Why do you trust me, Boyd? Why does what I want matter?” she asked, looking into his big brown eyes. He smiled at her. It wasn’t tired or scared, just a really big smile that crinkled at his eyes. In that moment, it became her favorite smile.

“Because, Erica, you’re the best thing to happen to this world. Where you go, I go,” he shrugged as if it was obvious. And maybe it could really be that simple. She leaned back onto the mattress, blonde curls going everywhere and blew hair out of her eyes. She grabbed his hand and squeezed.

“Where I go, you go. Huh?” she smiled up to the ceiling. “Okay. Together. Me and you.” She squeezed his hand again. It was nice to really have a friend, one that not only cared about her but understood her. “I’ve always wanted to go to Orlando. That’s where I always picture myself when I’m dreaming. No seizures, no sadness. Just sunshine. And you. My best friend,” she looked to Boyd shyly as she said that.

“Orlando it is. Sunshine and best friends,” he said with another of her favorite smiles. He kissed the palm of her hand and tugged her up. “Now go take a shower and we’ll get some sleep. I have enough money from the ice rink for two one-way tickets to Orlando. We’ll leave in the morning,” he said as he shooed her to the motel bathroom. She smiled to herself as she hopped into the warm stream of water, cleaning the dirt and grime from her body. The future was still hazy and slightly scary, but she had never felt more truly happy. She allowed herself a long shower, even as she heard the bathroom door open and close, she knew by scent it was only Boyd.

Stepping out of the shower, she saw newly purchased clothes sitting on the sink alongside an unopened toothbrush and toothpaste. She dressed in the leggings and oversized I heart LA tee, brushed her teeth, and left the bathroom.

“I got a few things while you showered. Nothing too fancy though. Just enough till we get to Orlando. I didn’t want to waste too much of our money,” he gestured to the little bag sitting on the motel table as he went into the bathroom with his new clothes. She saw that he had cleaned off their leather jackets and leather boots using what was now a dirty washcloth. In the small drawstring bag, she found a simple red tank top, a green vee-neck, a pair of men’s dark wash jeans and a pair of women’s dark wash jeans. She held the jeans up for inspection as Boyd walked out of the bathroom.

“I guessed your size. And they were on sale,” he shrugged as she raised an eyebrow at him. He rubbed the towel over head once more before tossing it back in the bathroom.

“They’ll fit just fine. Thank you,” she said as she set the jeans down. She moved to the door, checked the lock, pulled the curtains tight, and climbed under the bed sheet on the left side of the bed. Boyd pulled the sheet back and fit his large frame onto the right side. He reached out and turned off the bedside lamp as she did the same to lamp on her side. The room was dark, though she knew if she flashed her eyes gold she would be able to see everything.

“Boyd,” she said lying on her back, looking at the dark ceiling. “Thanks for coming with me. Thanks for being my friend. Thanks for everything really. I guess just thanks for being you.”

“Where you go, I go,” he said again. She smiled as she moved over putting her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and fell into the best sleep since before her first seizure as a child.

**September 2011**

The first few months after arriving in Orlando had been difficult. They’d rented a by-the-month apartment in a low-income area of city. They had spent each day searching for jobs. The legal age for work in Florida was seventeen, which did not pose an issue for Erica or Boyd since they both had turned seventeen the past November. The lack of a high school diploma or current education, however, was an issue. They had left Beacon Hills before completing their sophomore year of high school and certainly hadn’t thought to get their transcripts before they’d fled. Erica had been held back in third grade when her seizures had started. Boyd had been forced to repeat his freshman year after sustaining terrible injuries in the car crash that killed his parents and two siblings. Despite their pasts, they were moving forward, taking on the world together.

Erica and Boyd spent all of May and June studying for the GED test. In July, the two passed the GED and once again searched for jobs. By the end of July, she and Boyd had both found jobs at the Royal Pacific Hotel, part of the Universal Resort. Erica got a position working the front desk while Boyd got a position tending the grounds of the immense hotel. It couldn’t have come at a better time as they were out of Boyd’s ice rink money and Erica’s years of saved allowance from her father.

“Boyd, I have the best news!” she burst in the door of their cheap apartment after a 12 hour shift at the hotel. Boyd looked up from the small kitchen table to with an eyebrow raised. “We got it! We got the hotel apartment! I didn’t wanna tell you I applied until I knew for sure, but we got it!” she was so excited. The Royal Pacific had a program where employees could live in the hotel for a largely reduced rate. The rooms however required an application and often went to families or older married couples. She had made a strong case for her and best friend to receive the recently open one bedroom. There had been many stipulations for the apartment: including enrolling in a Hotel Administration program and agreeing that she and Boyd would take on more responsibilities at the hotel, among other things. They really could use the extra money so it wasn’t much of a hardship. Especially if she was going to enroll in online classes, even with the financial scholarships she had already applied for (just in case). She danced across the room and threw her arms around her best friend in a tight wolf hug.

“Erica,” he said removing her arms and pushing her back so that he could look properly at her face, “I have a serious question.” She cocked her head to side, raised her eyebrows, and crossed her arms.

“What?” she asked sullenly. He was not nearly as excited about her news as she had hoped.

“Erica Camille Reyes, will you go on a date with me?” he asked face creasing in determination to get the question out. And then she couldn’t help it, she giggled. Boyd’s face grew more hesitant and worry clouded his eyes at her giggles.

“Oh Boyd,” she said rolling her eyes and giggling again, “of course I’ll go on a date with you. I live with you. I sleep in the same bed with you every night. You’re my best friend and I love you.”

“Yes, but I want us to be more than best friends,” he said quietly. He turned away from her. She reached up, turning his face to hers with both hands on his cheeks.

“I don’t believe I made myself clear. Vernon Milton Boyd IV, I’m in love with you. I have been for quite some time, in case you missed it. And I would love to be more than friends with you,” she said firmly before leaning in and kissing him softy. Boyd pulled her closer into his arms and deepened the kiss. She didn’t know how long they went on like that before he pulled back and gave her that smile that she loved so much. She sighed, content in her best friend’s arms, and leaned her head to his chest. Yes, she was definitely in love with her best friend. And it felt wonderful.

**September 2013**

Erica turned to look into the eyes of the tall dark skinned man at her side, her best friend, her lover, her future. He put his left hand out as she slipped a white gold band on his ring finger.

“Vernon Milton Boyd IV, I love you with all my heart. You are my best friend, my lover, and now my husband. All of my best memories are ones with you. You were my first real friend, my first date, my first love. And I want you to be my last. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me. Thank you for being everything I’ve always wanted, everything I’ve always needed. You don’t just have my heart Vernon Boyd, you are my heart.” She watched as Boyd gave her that special smile that crinkled his eyes. It was a smile she had seen many times these past couple years. It was her favorite smile, one reserved just for her. It was the smile that made her knees weak with love and lust. Boyd pulled box containing a ring, a thinner white gold band with the most beautiful one carat diamond in the center, from his pocket. She gasped at its simple and sleek beauty. He slipped the ring on her left hand as he spoke.

“Erica Camille Reyes, two years ago I asked you on our first date. I’d spent the whole day agonizing over how to ask the most amazing woman I’d ever met out. I was so afraid that you only wanted to be my best friend. And your answer to my proposal of a date was that you were already in love with me. It was so much more than I could ever have hoped for that day. I thought meeting you was the single greatest moment of my life, but you just keep replacing that moment with ones that I treasure even more. Every day with you is a gift. You’re the best thing to happen to this world.” With those words, Vernon Milton Boyd IV leaned down and kissed her. And it was the single greatest moment of her life yet. She wiped a tear away as it slid down her face.

>

“By the power vested in me by the state of Florida, I now pronounce you man and wife,” the Justice of the Peace said offering them each a pen to sign the marriage certificate. They each signed their name and moved back to allow their witnesses to do them same. Erica had asked her friend Wendy, another of the front desk clerks at the Royal Pacific, to be her witness. Boyd had asked his favorite pilot and trainer, Jack, from Trax Air Flight Training, where he’d been taking lessons at for the last nine months. Erica smiled as she was handed her marriage certificate, making her union to her best friend official. Jack clapped Boyd on the back while she gave Wendy a hug. For the second time that day, Wendy gave her “the look”. The “who gets married in leather in Florida” look.

“Leather is who we are,” Erica said feeling the need to explain to Wendy, even though she was wearing a very delicate white silk dress under her leather jacket.

“Oh I know. I know you. And I know Boyd. Now let’s take a picture of you two to forever document the leather,” Wendy said with a grin. Erica handed her the camera. The four of them headed out of the small office and then out of the building. On the courthouse steps, Erica and Boyd posed for a picture while Wendy counted to three. At three, Boyd swept Erica into a kiss that Wendy was able to capture perfectly, leather and all. She handed the camera back to the newlyweds and followed Jack to the parking lot with a wave. Erica smiled up at Boyd as he kissed her forehead.

“It’s official honey! We’re married!” Erica shrieked throwing her arms around her husband. He laughed so deeply that it became more of a growl. She waggled her finger in his face.

“Now now, Mister Boyd, there will be no growling here on the courthouse steps! The full moon’s not for two more days!” she smirked at him the hint of her fangs appearing.

“Come on Mrs. Boyd. It’s time to get to that honeymoon,” he said sweeping her up in his arms and carrying her to their red Jeep Patriot in the courthouse parking lot. She sighed happy again as climbed into the passenger side. The trunk was packed with two large suitcases. The backseat was filled with groceries for staying at a cabin in Ocala National Forest for a week.

“Let’s get going. It’s only an hour and half away and I can’t wait to just run,” she said with excitement. Their time in Florida had been quiet on the Supernatural front. In over two years, they had yet to encounter a single werewolf, as they weren’t generally fond of cities. It also meant the chances to just run were severely limited. For their honeymoon, Erica wanted just two things: room to run and sex. Her husband hadn’t made one complaint at that request. She grinned to herself and whistled a pleasant tune as the Jeep turned out onto 441 Freeway. Erica Camille Boyd. Now that was something to whistle at. 

**December 2013**

In December, Erica finished her degree in Hotel Revenue Management through Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration online. With her online courses compete, Erica found herself being promoted to night manager. The raise in salary would allow Boyd to work fewer hours at the hotel and finish up his required flight training hours at Trax. She bound into their suite at the hotel a few days before Christmas to tell him the good news. She found her husband sitting in the corner of the sitting room, sniffing at the presents under the tree.

“Boyd, what ARE you doing?!” she demanded placing her hands on her hips.

“I’m sniffing the presents to see if I can tell what you got me,” he admitted sheepishly. “And what did we say about Boyd, Mrs. Boyd?” he asked her pointedly.

“Whoops. Sorry Vernon Milton. There are two Boyds in this family now,” she said, now looking sheepish herself. Boyd, no Vernon, had decided to go by his first name now that he wasn’t the only Boyd around. Erica knew that he was secretly practicing for when there were little Boyd pups running around. Vern has lost all his family, and she knew he wanted a big one of his own. And she did too. Someday. But for now she would let him practice not being the only Boyd.

“Honey,” her husband said waved a clawed hand in her face, “hello?” She smiled. She almost forgot she had news to tell him!

“I got promoted! And that means you can take more flight hours at Trax and earn your private flight license! And stop smelling your presents, you wolf. They don’t have scent anyway. I checked,” she grinned at her husband. He jumped off the floor, wrapped his arms around her waist, picked her up, and twirled. She giggled as her heels fell to the floor.

“Congratulations honey! I’m so proud of you! You deserve it. You’re the best thing to happen to this world,” he said kissing her. When he pulled back, she whined. Vernon wiggled his eyebrows at his wife as he picked her up princess style to carry her to their bedroom. “Wanna make little Boyds today?” he asked with a chuckle. She rolled her eyes at her husband and giggled again.

“How about today we just practice? We wanna be perfect when the time comes...” she trailed off removing her work button up and skirt. Vernon growled at his wife. “Taking that as a yes then. Now off with the clothes,” she demanded kissing him greedily. She wanted all the practice at making little Boyds.

**October 2014**

Erica was lounging on the sofa in their sitting room having a glass of her favorite Riesling when Vernon bounded through the door. She could smell his excitement from across the room. Leaving her glass behind, she quickly crossed the room to him and gave him a tight wolf hug.

“Now tell me why I’m hugging you. I haven’t seen you this excited since the first time we had sex,” she demanded. He laughed that deep that laugh that was more of a growl.

“Two very different kinds of excitement, I assure you my dearest wolf wife. For today I flew my first Pilot-in-Command flight! And it was great. It was like running on the clouds! And I got a job offer afterwards, which isn’t really the important part,” he said grinning like a maniac and hugging her tighter.

“Oh Vern! That’s wonderful! I’m so proud of you! But what do you mean it’s not the important part? I wanna hear about this job offer!” she exclaimed a little confused as to why Vernon wasn’t taking the job offer seriously. Flying was his dream.

“It’s to fly the Wentworth company jet, mostly for Blake Wentworth. He was the passenger I had today because his last pilot retired. But honey, it’s based out of Verona, Italy. That’s why it isn’t important,” he explained. She knew he would never ask her to move. Orlando had been her dream; she’d told him that three and half years ago in a motel room in LA. But that was a lifetime ago. She had been a different Erica then.

“Verona, Italy? Okay. Then we’re going to Italy,” she said holding up her hand to stop his protests. “Where I go, you go, remember? Well I’m going to Italy. They have hotels there Vern. Orlando WAS my dream; that was years ago. Verona IS your dream, right now. As long as we’re together, I’m still living my dream,” she told him firmly. She loved Vernon Milton Boyd IV with all her heart. She would follow him anywhere, including Italy. He looked at her with the most loving eyes and gave her that eye crinkling smile.

“You’re the best thing to happen to this world, you know? I love you,” he whispered in her ear. She smiled. Oh yes, this man was definitely worth it. The Boyds were going to Italy. 

**June 2016**

Erica had thought about where she wanted to go for her three year anniversary for quite some time. Unlike in Orlando, they had plenty of time for quick drives to the nearby countryside of Italy for runs and wolf playing. For her anniversary, she thought she would like a more typical honeymoon destination. Living in Europe made a trip to Paris much more affordable and simple. She’d made all the plans and purchased the tickets herself weeks ago. Now she just had to wait for Vernon to get here from Glasgow, Scotland, where Blake Wentworth had business that week. She had made sure she would arrive first, to give herself time to unpack. She despised living out of a suitcase, even if it was just for two weeks.

At first Erica had gone with Vernon on the Wentworth private jet. The cities Blake had business in were absolutely beautiful. However, she found that she didn’t really enjoy flying; it made her anxious. And she missed hotel management. In January, Blake had been able to get her an interview for the manager position at the Hotel Mastino in downtown Verona. The hotel and the city were both breathtaking. On her on merit and Blake’s recommendation, she had gotten the job at the Mastino. She and Vern had moved into a discount priced suite, as was customary for many hotel managers and various other employees. She truly loved hotels, as much as Vernon loved flying.

She was just unpacking the last pair of shoes from her suitcase when she heard the suite door open. She cocked her head to the side and listened intently. The steady and familiar rhythm of her husband’s heartbeat greeted her ears. It was a wonderful sound! She skipped out of the hotel bedroom and into the sitting room.

“You’re here!” she said pulling him in for a hug. He tightened his arms around her and buried his nose into her neck.

“A week is too long to be away from you. I can’t even smell myself on you anymore!” he said as he rubbed her cheek to her hair. She rolled her eyes but pressed closer to her husband, inhaling his scent as well.

“Yes, let’s not do that anymore. I missed you,” she said quietly. He pulled back and stared into his wife’s eyes. He let her go to pick up his bag and pulled out a Tiffany blue box. She smiled and plucked the box from his hand. Carefully opening the lid she looked inside to find a white gold necklace with an infinity sign as the center token. The piece had three tiny diamonds on it. It was stunning.

“You’re the best thing to happen to this world. And I love you. Forever and infinity. I thought maybe this could be our pack sign. I know technically we’re omegas, but I’ve never felt more at home or more pack than when I’m with you,” he said softly clasping the necklace around her neck. Tears were streaming down her face, but Erica said nothing. Vernon waited for when she was composed enough to speak.

“Thank you. Oh thank you Vern. I think that’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me. And I’ve known you for five very sweet and wonderful years,” she said walking over to the window and looking out to the Eiffel Tower. Vernon followed, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and kissing down her neck. A soft moan escaped her lips.

“Two hours Vern. Two hours till we have to leave here for dinner,” she said as turned and headed for the bedroom. He grinned and followed her.

“You’d be surprised what a werewolf can do with two hours after a week of missing his wife,” he said as he began kissing her neck again. She would not be surprised. She’d been married to this man for three years. She knew she would be happy, sated, warm, and loved. And that was just what she wanted.

*

After a wonderful meal at Le Jules Verne, Erica strolled the streets of Paris hand-in-hand with her husband. The sun had set some time earlier and the Eiffel Tower was lit up, looking beautiful. The night breeze was ruffling her hair. She was happy, and she knew by scent that her husband was as well.

A change in the breeze floated a new scent past her, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Vernon turned to look at her, curiosity in his eyes. She subtlety sniffed the air again to make sure. It was him. She grabbed Vernon’s hand and squeezed while looking around for him, eyes searching everywhere. Finally, she saw him. He was sitting on a blanket on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower. He was sitting with a bottle of wine and box of pizza but appeared to be alone. Erica started towards him pulling Vernon with her.

“Isaac?” she asked quietly from behind him. He turned to look at her. His eyes went wide with a mixture or hurt, confusion, and shock. She gave him a watery smile and gripped harder to her husband.

“Erica? Boyd? What are you doing here? How are you alive?” he sputtered as he scented the air. She took a step closer. When Isaac didn’t move away, she threw her arms around him and enveloped him in her favorite kind of wolf hug. Vernon moved closer and put his arm around Isaac’s broad shoulders. Isaac sagged into their touches. Erica leaned back and looked at her old friend’s face.

“We’ve always been alive. We told Derek we were leaving. And we did. We were so scared at first. And it was hard. But we made it through. To here, to now, to our anniversary in Paris. I’m so sorry we left you Isaac, but Derek loved you. He said he’d protect you. You were always his in a way we weren’t,” she explained while her eyes probed her friend’s face for understanding. He looked so much older and tired than he had five years ago. He gave her a half smile. He gestured for his old friend to sit and join him on his blanket. They complied and Isaac handed them each a glass of wine.

“Isaac, you seem so sad. What happened?” Erica asked after a few minutes of silence.

“A lot happened after you guys left. The pack changed. People changed. I found my first love,” he said and his scent smelled even more of loss. Erica and Vernon waited for him to continue. He sniffed and gave that half smile again. “And then I lost her. It was Allison Argent; do you remember her? Scott’s old girlfriend. It was quite the ruckus for a minute, but Scott was always so nice. We’re still friends, ya know?” He genuinely smiled at that, and Erica could feel her heart breaking but still she waited for Isaac to continue his tale. “I came here after she died at the end of junior year, with her dad. Paris was her favorite place; we came here to remember her and then to move on. Her dad went back to Beacon Hills about six months after her death, but I didn’t want to go back. Beacon Hills was just so full of sadness and loss, not just Allison but also my mother and brother and father. And even you guys, though I guess it’s a nice turn to gain some people I love,” he showed his genuine puppy smile at that thought. Erica nodded for him to continue. She could see there was more for him to tell, “About year after I’d been here, I met someone I never thought I’d see again. She was beautiful and strong. And she brought me out of my shell. Helped me get a job as a line cook and encouraged me to take cooking classes. She was there for my graduation from cooking school and my first night as sous chef. And then one Sunday I woke up, and she was just gone.” He sighed and waved his hand to the pizza and wine. “We used to come here every Sunday. Order take-out pizza from this little shop I used to work at. It was how I met her actually. I delivered a pizza to her flat one Sunday. And she just never really let me go. She told me she never really had the chance to enjoy pizza or wine so she’d decided to try both her first Sunday in Paris. And we kept up the tradition after that. I’ve been coming here every Sunday for three months, but she never came back. She just disappeared from my life the same way she came into it really, quiet and unexpected,” Isaac finished, his eyes cloudy with emotion. This time is was Vernon that enveloped Isaac in a full hug.

“Isaac, you always deserved the moon and more. And I’m really sorry for all you’ve been through. Erica and I, we’re your family too. We could be there for you. Mark the milestones of life together, if you would like. If you aren’t ready to leave Paris, we would understand. But if you are, we have a spare room in Verona that’s already yours,” Vernon said looking at his friend with nothing but honesty and love.

“You know, Boyd, I’m not sure your ever really ready to give up on love. But to lose your first love and then your true love, well that’s enough to make a man give up Paris at least. Four years is enough time in Paris. I think I’m ready to give Italy and family a shot,” Isaac responded hugging his friend back tightly. He shook his shoulders as if wiling the sadness away. And by scent, Erica could tell that it was actually working. Isaac was such a strong soul. As if he just kept marching forward, that the past would one day be less heartbreaking. She admired him for that. “Erica. Boyd. Thank you for listening and for being alive and for offering me a chance at a fresh start. But mostly, thank you for being my family, even after all these years,” he said with an honest smile and a tone of love.

“Oh Isaac, you’ll always be our family. Forever and infinity. Now we’ll be here for two weeks. We’re staying at the Shangri-La Hotel, whenever you’ve ready, bring your stuff over. You can show us all the best places in Paris before we head to Italy,” Vernon told Isaac with a smile in return. With the mood lightened, Erica felt she could make a simple joke with her friend.

“Oh and Vern has taken to calling himself by his first name as there are multiple Boyds now,” Erica stated using air quotes and smirking at her husband and their friend. Isaac looked at his friends and smirked back.

“Vernon, huh? No way, to me you’ll always be Boyd, no matter how many you add to the Boyd pack,” Isaac replied and winked at his friend, who rolled his eyes in response. “See you soon, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd,” he waved loping off away from his friends, a lazy grin on his face. Erica turned to her husband.

“Extra room, huh? Well if we’re upgrading our place at the Mastino, maybe we could make one more addition to the pack?” she asked hopefully. Vernon raised his eyebrows in question as a response. “I just think it might be nice to have another Boyd in the pack,” she added helpfully with a warm smile. Her husband picked her up right there in front of the Eiffel Tower, twirled her in a circle, kissed her happily. He put back on Parisian ground and continued to stare at her.

“Our own little pup? You’re the best thing to happen to this world” he said in wonder and his eyes glistened with tears. Seeing Isaac after all this time was the sign that Erica needed. It just felt right to add to their Forever and Infinity pack: first with their oldest friend, and then with a new little pup of their own.

**March 2017**

Lillian Hope Boyd was born at 8:30 AM on the second of March in a hospital in Verona, Italy. Erica’s labor had been rather quick, taking only five hours. She would remember is as the worst five hours of her life, followed quickly by the single greatest moment of her life. After cleaning her up, the doctors had presented Erica with a healthy baby girl she had promptly named Lillian Hope. The hospital staff had left the little family in peace after that.

“You’re the best thing to happen to this world,” Vern whispered and Erica couldn’t tell if he’s talking to her or his new little girl that she held in her arms. But she was fairly certain he was talking to them both. She looked down at her daughter and smiled.

“Why yes you are my sweet girl,” she cooed with the biggest smile that had ever appeared on her face. She looked back up at her pack and saw the desperation on Isaac’s face. Kissing Lillian on the forehead, she handed her to Isaac. He stared in wonder for a moment at her child and then smiled.

“Let me tell you, Lillian Hope, about the Forever and Infinity Pack. You’re a member, did you know? The most perfect member,” he whispered so quietly that without werewolf hearing she would have missed it. Erica turned to Vernon.

“I’m going to sleep now. But do you think you could all stay in here with Lillian and me? I wanna be able to hear your heartbeats. Smell pack. Smell family...” she drifted off as her eyes fluttered. Vernon kissed his wife and smiled.

“Go to sleep honey. We’ll all be here when you wake up. We’re not going anywhere,” he confirmed as she closed her eyes. And she knew he was telling the truth. Her family, her pack, would be there when she woke up. Every day. And that was the best feeling in the world.

**May 2021**

Isaac stared down at the invitation in his hands. He wasn’t sure how they got the address or if they knew about the Boyds. And he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. Silently he handed the invitation to Erica.

“You are cordially invited to the wedding of Scott Alexander McCall and Kira Jade Yukimura on Saturday, the twenty-fifth of December two thousand twenty one at five pm.” Erica read aloud. Erica searched the invitation for an address. Finally she found it: Beacon Hills. So Scott hadn’t ever left. She turned to Isaac. “Do you want to go? Are you ready to go back? I know Scott is your friend...” she inquired searching Isaac’s eyes for some sort of sign. His shrugged and collapsed on the couch. She moved towards him and gingerly set down next to him. He looked up at his friend.

“Of course I want to see Scott get married. And I want to see Mrs. McCall and Derek and hell even Stiles, if they’re all still around. I want a lot of things. And I just feel guilty...” he trailed off looking at his hands in his lap. She sat there saying nothing. She could hear the fast pounding of Isaac’s heart. She could smell the mix of guilt, desire, and fear. And in that moment, she knew exactly what he wanted. Isaac didn’t just want to go to Scott’s wedding. Isaac wanted to go back and stay. She tilted his chin up so that she could look into his clear blue eyes.

“Isaac, it’s okay. I understand. Vern will too. We love you. We just want you to be happy,” she said with a watery smile.

“Erica, I don’t think you quite understand. I love you guys too. You, Boyd, and Lillian are my pack, my family. I want us all to go. I want us all to stay together. It’s been 10 years. It’s time to go home,” he told her as he stared back into her eyes with the same loving intensity she had given him. Erica was quiet as she processed what Isaac had said. She moved from the couch, stepping over Lillian’s favorite stuffed duck, crossing the room to the window. She looked out to see the life and beauty of the city of Verona. They had lived at the Mastino for six and half years, and it had been truly wonderful. She loved her family and being with them, yet it somehow had never become home. Orlando had felt the same way, happy but not home. They say ‘home is where the heart is’, but there was more to it than that. Her heart was with Vernon, Lillian, and Isaac, but Beacon Hills held something more: memories. Memories of Vernon’s parents and siblings. Memories of Isaac’s mother and brother and even his father. And, of course, Erica’s own memories. Memories of before her seizures began, before her mother had fallen down the stairs never to get up again, before her father began ignoring her more and more and increasing his workload. Memories of being a family, going to the park, having a picnic, decorating a Christmas tree. And memories of after the bite. Memories of meeting Boyd and Isaac. Memories of running through the woods carefree for the first time. Beacon Hills was their home, no matter how long they had been gone. She could feel the tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t stop them even as she heard her husband and daughter get home with the gelato they had went out for. The tears just kept falling and warm hand wrapped around her from behind. She turned into the embrace, letting her tears fall only to be soaked up by Vernon’s soft sweater. Finally, after what felt like an eternity but what could have only been minutes, she looked up at her husband.

“Boyd,” she said, earning herself a curious look. It had been a long time since she’d called him that. “Remember the first time you told me ‘where I go, you go’? All those years ago in LA? Does that still apply?” she asked quietly, voice shaky. He indulged her with one of her favorite eye crinkling smiles.

“Well of course. It was a forever thing, honey. You’re the best thing to happen to this world. That’s not something I’m ever giving up,” he responded earnestly. She smiled at him and leaned back into his chest, inhaling deeply. He nuzzled into her curls. They remained that way for a minute until Erica pulled away again.

“Well then, would it be okay if we went home? I think ten years is long enough,” she said peeking over Vern’s shoulder to look at the rest of her family. Isaac was holding Lillian close to his chest as they watched Erica intently. Erica took a moment to take in the beauty of her daughter with her caramel colored skin, hazel eyes, and soft dark curls cascading down to her shoulders. She smiled at her daughter.  


“Are you okay momma?” Lillian asked as Isaac put her down and she raced over to Erica. Erica leaned down to pick up the little girl.

“Momma’s fine. Just a little sad, but Papa fixed it,” she said kissing her daughter on the nose. Lillian reached out to hug both her parents at the same time.

“We’re were just deciding that it’s time you see where momma and papa grew up, pup,” Vernon said kissing his daughter on the forehead. He turned to Isaac, who was eagerly eating the gelato they had brought home. He shrugged at Boyd.

“What? It’s gelato. The smell man. Oh and the taste. Say it with me, Boyd. Gel-la-toe! Mhhmmm,” Isaac mumbles shoving more gelato in his mouth. Boyd rolls his eyes.

“Let’s all have some. After all, we’re celebrating,” Boyd says setting Lillian down to join Isaac in gelato eating. Boyd turns to Erica and kissed her sweetly.

“Dove si va, vado,” Boyd whispered to her. She smiled. Where you go, I go. It was a forever thing. And they were going home. Forever. 

**December 2021**

The plane landed with a thud and Erica opened her eyes. They had landed in Sacramento. It was still a couple hours before they would actually arrive in Beacon Hills, but she already felt nervous. What if they weren’t wanted after all this time? She picked her carry-on bag from under the seat in front of her and took a deep breath. She could do this. She followed Isaac, Lillian, and Vernon out of the plane and into the airport.

“Let’s get our luggage and then head down to the Hertz rental car area. I reserved and SUV for the drive to Beacon Hills,” Isaac said taking Lillian’s hand into his own and leading the way. She was grateful that he had taken charge of getting things prepared for their return. She was far too nervous to think clearly. Vernon looked at her.

“Honey, it’s gonna be okay. I promise,” he said kissing her cheek and taking her hand as he followed Isaac. She took another deep breath, inhaling Vernon’s scent. She could do this. She had her family. Arriving in the luggage claim, they picked up their suitcases and headed to pick of the rental car. She and Vernon loaded the suitcases in the back of the SUV while Isaac buckled Lillian into the car. She climbed into the back seat, next to her daughter.

“Hey momma, are you excited to go home? I can smell Uncle Isaac’s excitement. But not yours. Is my nose broken?” Lillian asked as she crinkled her nose and tapped it. Erica laughed and felt herself calming.

“No little pup. Your nose isn’t broken. Uncle Isaac just really smells,” she laughed kissing her daughter’s nose.

“Whew. I was just checking,” Lillian said as she settled in to nap during the drive to Beacon Hills. Erica relaxed too. Now would be a great time to get some rest, just in case Beacon Hills was as crazy as ever.

*

Erica grabbed her suitcase from the taxi and turned back towards the house. Isaac had insisted they all drop the rental car off together and take a taxi to the new house. He wanted to see their faces the first time they saw it. The house was located on the edge of Beacon Hills Preserve, just a few miles from the old Hale house. It was a two-story red brick house with brick stairs leading up to four white columns framing the front door and white railings around the wrap around porch. Attached to the right side of the house, there was an open gazebo area that appeared from perfect for BBQs. The house was reminiscent of the south, even though this was northern California. On the left, was a tower full of windows that would be just perfect for Lillian’s room. The front yard had bushes and flowers while the back was all trees leading into the Preserve. She also spotted three vehicles in front of the house: a beautiful red Camaro, a sleek black Denali SUV, and a trendy silver BMW 5 series Sedan.

“Isaac, it’s perfect. How did you do all this?” she asked turning to him. He was beaming.

“Well, Mr. Wentworth was very generous on his parting gifts, hence the cars. He bought them and had them delivered to the house last week. Blake was adamant that he knew just what each of us would want. Suffice to say, he was correct. And I found the house in July. It’s a longer story, if we want to go inside for me to tell it,” Isaac said gesturing to the front door. Lillian and Vernon were already heading inside when Erica picked up her suitcase. As she entered the house, she was again struck in awe. There were two couches and an entertainment system in the living room, an eight person table in the dining room, and even homey rugs places over parts of the hard wood floors. She moved to the kitchen to find marble countertops with wood cabinets, state of the art appliances, and fully furnished cupboards. This she expected. Isaac was a chef and quite a good one with a background in French and Italian cuisine. She had known that the kitchen would be a grand space where he could practice new recipes. She headed back to the living room, leaving her shoes at the door as she passed, and sat on the new couch. The whole house smelled new. She looked again at Isaac as he sat down next to her. Her husband and daughter sat on the second couch.

“When we decided in May that we were gonna come back, I called Scott. I told him I was not only coming to his wedding, but coming home. He’s still the alpha here, so moving here had to be okay with him. And he was okay with it. I also mentioned that I was moving here with my family and that there were four of us. But that we were hoping to grow still. He helped me find a house near the preserve that would be okay for a big family. It was really run down when he found it in July. Nobody had lived out here in a decade. But we could both see the potential. So I used our combine savings to buy it; it was actually really cheap being so rundown and it came with 15 acres of land in the Preserve. Then I hired people to fix it up: repair any damage, paint the house, landscape, renovate the interior, and install new appliances. That was all down mid-November. So I ordered furniture and had it set up in the house after Thanksgiving. Mailed all our boxes from Italy to Scott, and he put them in the correct rooms. All we have to do is unpack. I just wanted the move to be as easy as possible,” Isaac said placing a hand on Erica’s shoulder. She smiled at him. He had really thought this through. Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard after all.

They all even had jobs lined up already. Vernon would be making delivery and small passenger flights from the Beacon County Airport to other small airports around the area. Isaac had gotten a position as the head chef of the only 5 star restaurant in Beacon Hills, Bella Fonte. He had quite résumé from his time in Europe and was highly known in the chef circuit. As there were far fewer hotels to manage in Beacon County then Verona, Italy, it had taken Erica the longest to secure a new hotel management position. She had finally gotten the management position at L’hotel Conserva, the four star hotel located in Beacon Hills. It was actually right across the street from Bella Fonte and many high end boutiques. Vernon had enrolled Lillian in Beacon Hills Pre-School. She would be starting Elementary School in the fall.

“Hey Isaac,” Erica asked quietly, “did you tell Scott who your family was?” Telling people they were back and being rejected was her biggest fear. Isaac looked at her softly.

“No. I thought you guys might want to do that yourself. And I didn’t know if he was the first one you’d want to know. So unless he spends a lot of time gossiping about the new employees in the high end district of Beacon Hills or Beacon County Airport, he doesn’t know,” Isaac responded. She sighed. He was right, of course. Scott couldn’t be the first person to know they were back. They should tell her father or Boyd’s grandmother. Though she was certain her father had never missed his burden and Boyd’s grandmother could never actually recognize Boyd after she got dementia. No, the first person they should tell was Derek. Because they’re leaving had probably hurt him most, after Isaac.

“Do you know where to find him?” she asked Isaac. She didn’t need to say who. They all knew. Isaac passed over a slip of paper.

“I got his address from Scott. You don’t have to do it today. The wedding is in five days though. So sometime before then would probably be best,” Isaac said leaning back into the couch cushions. She sighed again.

“We’ll go tomorrow. Just me and Vernon. You’ll watch Lillian right?” she said to Isaac. He nodded.

“Of course. I’ll take her to Scott’s with me. If that’s okay? I want him to meet my favorite little pack member,” Isaac said smiling at Lillian. Erica nodded and stood up.

“That’s perfectly fine. It’s his territory. We may have been away from pack dynamics for ten years, but even I know that in Beacon Hills, we need an alpha. If Scott will have us, we’ll submit. Vern, would you mind if we went to bed now? I just want to rest before tomorrow...” she trailed off looking at him. She knew he could tell that she was frightened by the idea of tomorrow and just wanted to cuddle in his scent.

“Sure thing, honey,” he stood and ruffled his daughters curls. “Be extra nice and maybe Uncle Isaac will help you unpack your toys,” he said to her as we followed Erica up the stairs. The days ahead were bound to be long and emotionally tiring. But together they would handle it. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. Forever and Infinity.

*

Erica stared at the address on the slip of paper in her hands. It was the address of the old Hale house. Some things never change. Except that as she looked at the house in front of her, some things did. Because this house was new and grand. It was tall, three stories painted all white with elegant windows and tall columns. In fact, it looked like the house from the movie Jumanji she had seen as a child. It had the massive doorway, the second story balcony, and even the stone wall and walkway. Outside the stone wall she saw a newer black Camaro and a white jeep with Beacon Hills Police logo on it and tell-tale red and blue lights on top. She wondered idly if Derek was in trouble with the law again. She turned to look at Vernon.

“You ready?” she asked. She zipped her red North Face coat up around her body. She had briefly considered going with the all leather look she had loved in her younger years, but this was northern California in December and she was cold dammit. Vernon laced his fingers through hers and squeezed.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he said nodding towards the house. She opened the gate and walked up the walkway to the house. She could smell scents of many different people near the door, as if this home was frequented by many others, not all of them human or werewolf. Maybe Derek wasn’t as alone as he once had been. She really hoped that was the case. Because if anyone deserved to be surrounded by people and love, it was the broken man who made her a werewolf. Taking a breath, she knocked on the door. She heard someone trip inside and breathe out a slew of curses while approaching the door. The door was then flung wide open and Erica was staring into the amber colored eyes of the last person she ever expected to open the door.

“Stiles?” she asked hesitantly. She was bewildered as to why he was here, at Derek’s house. It had been ten years; things were bound to change. His eyes widened and he stared from Erica to Boyd.  


“Stiles, is it the pizza? Or Scott getting cold feet?” Derek shouted from somewhere else in the house. He sounded older, wiser, and happier than he ever had in the time that Erica had known him. Stiles continued to just stare at them, mouth open. Probably concerned at Stiles silence, she remembered he had been quite the talker; Derek came to check out the situation. Erica locked eyes with him as he turned the corner into the foyer. His face went white, eyes flashing beta blue.

“Erica? Boyd?” he breathed as he quickened his pace to get to the door. As he got to the door, he pushed Stiles back so that he was behind him, hidden partially from Erica’s view. “What are you doing here? I thought you were dead...” he said looking between the two of them. She shook her head.

“No. Not dead. Would it be okay...if we came inside? We’ve kind of have a lot to say...” she trailed off looking at him. He looked back at Stiles, eyebrows raised. Stiles gave a nod before Derek moved to the side, allowing them room to enter. She walked inside, pulling Vernon with her. She wasn’t letting go of his hand. Derek led them back in the direction he had come, to the living room. There was a huge fireplace, seriously this place almost straight out of Jumanji, except that this living room also had a 70 inch plasma and three separate gaming systems. The coffee table was covered with controllers, snacks, and Mountain Dew cans. On the two navy couches were a few throw pillows and cashmere blankets. Derek moved past the couches to sit farther into the living room in a large brown leather chair. The table next to the chair held a neat stack of hardback books and a cup of steaming coffee on a coaster. Stiles sat down on the far side the couch, nearest Derek. Erica sat of the couch opposite them, pulling her husband down with her. Derek waved his hand at them, motioning they could begin talking whenever. She cleared her throat and squeezed Vernon’s hand again.

“Um, I guess I don’t know how to start...the end or the beginning? No, I think I should start with we’re sorry. Sorry we left when things got bad. Sorry we never told you we were okay. Just so sorry,” Erica said biting on her lip. Derek sighed and again she saw how much older he really had become.

“It’s okay. I wish we would have known you were okay. Everyone assumed you were dead. But I don’t blame you for leaving. I never did. I wasn’t a very good alpha. I was never meant to be one. You were scared, and I didn’t help. But what are you doing back here now? After all this time...” he asked searching their faces for answers.

“Isaac. Not that we don’t want to be here, but I don’t think we’d have ever done it without his push. He got the invitation for Scott’s wedding. And he wanted to come home. Permanently. So here we are,” she said waving her arms at her and her husband. Before Derek could say anything, Stiles leaned forward on the couch and interrupted.

“What do you mean Isaac? I mean I get that it’s Isaac Lahey. Duh. But when did you see him again? And why would you move for him?” Stiles asked looking at Derek and not her.

“Five and a half years ago we came upon Isaac in Paris. It was our three year anniversary and we were just walking by the Eiffel Tower. And there he was, smelling nearly the exact same albeit much sadder, eating pizza and drinking wine. After that, he came back to Italy with us. We’re family,” she said firmly looking between Stiles and Derek. She couldn’t blatantly tell what was going on between them without scenting the air, and now was not the time for that.

“Isaac and his family are coming home. That’s what Scott said. Nothing about you two, which means he didn’t know. Family of four, he said. So who is number four?” Stiles asked, staring the two of them down. At that Erica grinned whole heartedly, because number four really was the best part of their family.

“Number four is our daughter,” she explained gesturing between herself and her husband, “Lillian Hope. She’s with Isaac right now, meeting Scott and I assume his bride-to-be. We wanted to come here first, just the two of us, and let Derek know that we were back. It felt important.” Derek smiled at her and she exhaled.

“Thank you. For thinking of me and coming here. I’m happy that you two are home. And I want to meet this little girl that can make you grin like the Cheshire cat, Erica,” he said standing to embrace them. Both Erica and Vernon rounded the coffee table to embrace their old alpha. Finally Erica buried her nose into Derek’s side and scented him. And grinned wickedly. Before she could say a word, she heard her husband whistled.

“Damnnn dude, shower more often. You reek of Stlinski’s spunk,” he said pulling away and laughing. Erica began to giggle too, staring at Stiles. Stiles cheeks were red as he looked at the three of him.

“Hey. That’s my husband, I’ll have you know! How were we supposed to know that we’ll have two mysterious wolfy visitors WHO DIDN’T EVEN CALL?!” he said outraged. But Derek just laughed and put his hand on his husband’s neck. He pulled all four of them in for another hug. Erica leaned into the hug but this time resisted the urge to scent anyone. As the hug broke, she moved around Vernon to get to Stiles.

“Husband, huh? Oh Batman, please tell me the story of how you got Mister Sourwolf to say I do,” she said linking his arm with hers. He smiled at the nickname as he led her to towards what smelled like the kitchen, if the scent of chocolate chip cookies was any indication.

“Well, Catwoman, it was no easy feat,” Stiles began. She settled in on a kitchen stool in front of a large plate of cookies as Stiles poured two large glasses of milk. This was a story she couldn’t wait to hear. From someone who she could just tell was going to be a great friend. After all, he had cookies and stories and a really big heart. She turned towards Stiles, cookie in hand.

“Start at the beginning,” she demanded waving her cookie at him.

“You don’t even know what the beginning was!” he laughed at her, grabbing his own cookie.

“Yes I do. It all started with your good looks,” she prompted taking a bite of her cookie. He smiled.

“Okay, it all began with my good lucks. And dashing charm, devilish wit, and overwhelming charisma...” he said as she picked up cookie number two and three. Stiles rolled his eyes as he launched into what was sure to be one of the best stories she’d heard. And so she listened.

*

At dinner that night, Erica looked around their new table at her family: Vernon, Isaac, and Lillian. She smiled. She had the best family. And if this day had taught her anything, it was that her family was about to get even better.

“Soooo, Isaac, please tell me you were not holding out on me! Did you know that Derek and Stiles were married?!” she exclaimed after having a small bite of the lasagna Isaac had made for dinner. He looked at her and laughed.

“What? No! But I so saw that happening! They kind of just work together, ya know? And well, they actually work together too. They’re both deputies at the station with Sheriff Stilinski,” Isaac told her, taking another large bite of his lasagna. “I take it the day went well, if you were busy hearing marriage stories and devouring enough chocolate chip cookies to ruin your appetite for dinner.” He looked at her accusatorily. “I can smell them! Not even one on Boyd and all over you! And you didn’t even bring any home,” he said mournfully. She brightened at that.

“I left a bag of them in the car! See? I do love you!” she exclaimed. Vernon laughed at them and helped Lillian cut her lasagna into smaller bites. It really had been a good day.

“What else did you learn? I’m dying to know. Because it’s been ages and...WHEN CAN WE MEET THE PACK?!” Erica asked excitedly. Isaac rolled his eyes.

“You have been hanging out with Stiles too much. And it’s only been a day. This cannot be good. But at the wedding, I think. Apparently the week before the wedding is critical and Kira has been running all over taking care of things,” Isaac rolled his eyes again.

“I think it would be safe to note this as Day One in the Erica and Stiles epic friendship. I have a feeling it’s going to be one for the books. The wedding’s only in a couple days, so it’s fine if we wait to meet everyone. And it’ll give us time to unpack everything. And put up the Christmas tree because that’s in four days,” Boyd said looking at Isaac with a smile. That first year that Isaac had moved in with them, Erica had discovered that he loved the holiday as much as Vernon. Since then, she had let the two of them handle the holiday completely. It was quite relaxing to enjoy the holiday without doing much besides buy her few secret presents.

Again Erica looked around at her family. And for the first time, she felt excited for the upcoming wedding. Because they would meeting their new pack mates and seeing her new friends and they would all be together. This was a life she could definitely get used to. Because this life and this house and this family were her home.

*

Scott and Kira’s wedding was beautiful. Mr. Yukimura and Mrs. McCall both cried as their children said “I do”. Mrs. Yukimura did not cry; Erica took it that she was the strong silent type, but she did seem very touched nonetheless. Mr. McCall sat in the back of the church, alone. He cried when his son said I do, but didn’t talk to any of the other guests. After the ceremony, he stepped aside with his son. They talked, hugged, and then Mr. McCall left. Erica didn’t see him at the reception. She did, however, see Sheriff Stilinski holding hands with Mrs. McCall, laughing and drinking champagne. She even heard them toast to marrying off their only children. It was actually very touching to witness.

The reception was a lavish affair, with flowers, lights, a band, plenty of tasty food, and an open bar. Erica noted that they had invited many people to the event, many more than were in the pack. She enjoyed herself as she waited for the post-reception party, where her family would officially be introduced to the entire pack. She danced with Vernon, Isaac, Stiles, and Derek in between twirling her daughter around on the dance floor. Lillian loved the music and the people and mostly the dancing. Finally, around ten, Isaac came over to the table where she was sitting with Vernon and Lillian.

“We’re all going to meet out at Derek and Stiles’ house. So that we can meet the whole pack at once, before Scott and Kira take off for their honeymoon,” he told them. Erica got up, picking Lillian up with her, and followed Isaac and Vernon to the SUV. The drive out to the Hale house was quiet as they each pondered meeting their new pack and Lillian slept. Too soon, they had arrived at the Hale house. There were cars everywhere. Erica had a feeling that they were the last to arrive, and that Scott had meant for it to be that way. She helped Lillian out of her seat and held her daughter on her hip. Vernon moved to her other side and laced their fingers together. They walked through the gate and up the walkway as Isaac moved to her other side, his shoulder touching Lillian. She felt as nervous as she had four days earlier in this same spot. Isaac leaned out and knocked, although it probably wasn’t necessary with a house full of supernatural creatures. Stiles answered the door with a smile.

“Come on guys. Time for the meet and greet,” he said cheerily leading them up the stairs. Erica was surprised not to be going to the living room.

“We’re not going to the living room?” she asked Stiles bewildered. He stopped and turned to her.

“We had the attic specially finished as an open floor plan to make room for everyone. There’s plenty of seating and carpet up there. It’s much more comfortable for pack events,” he shrugged and continued on up the stairs passing the second floor landing. At the top he opened the door and headed into the attic. Erica and her family followed. To call the room an attic was far underrating the room. The carpet was a thick soft material that was navy colored. The walls were painted a pleasant cream color with gold trim. There was a huge TV that took up nearly the entire far wall. Surrounding it on all three sides was a cream colored couch that made a square C-shape. The other far side of the room held a large chestnut table surrounded by about 12 wooden chairs of chestnut color, as if for playing games. The middle of the room held large lounge pillows and blankets in various colors of gold, navy, cream, and four more of those brown leather chairs like the one in living room downstairs. And everywhere she looked, Erica saw people. Some she recognized some of them and others that she did not. As Stiles waved them inside the attic, everyone seemed to congregate into the middle area. Erica saw Mrs. McCall, Sheriff Stilinski, Derek, and Peter take the chairs as the others sat on the ground, a pillow, or lounged against the back wall. She watched Stiles settle in to share Derek’s chair and smiled. The four of them stood in front of the group, waiting. Scott came to stand next to them, having changed from his tux into grey sweatpants and a black tank top. She noticed a double-band tattoo on his arm and wondered about the meaning behind it. Another time, she thought, looking at him for instruction.

“Hey guys,” he said addressing the pack, “so I know I told you that we were adding some new members to the pack. But I wanted to make sure everyone met before them before Kira and I went on our honeymoon. Some of you may know them from a long time ago, but some of you don’t. So what we’re going to do is go around and everyone is going to introduce themselves and what kind of supernatural they are; that would probably be helpful. It’ll be just like kindergarten. Kind of,” he said laughing. Stiles rolled his eyes at Scott and quirked an eyebrow.

“Yeah, like kindergarten. So say something interesting about yourself too. Quick bonding moment and then we can all have some of Lydia’s fancy werewolf special moonshine,” he added to Scott’s instructions with a smile. Erica could already tell that Stiles was second-in-command in this pack, even if he was human and younger than some members. She smiled at that. Scott motioned at them to start.

“Um, I’m Erica Boyd. Werewolf. And I’m fluent in Italian,” she stated to the group. She was about to introduce her daughter when Lillian gave her a glare.

“I’m Lillian Hope Boyd. Werewolf. I’ll be five years old on March second,” she said proudly. Erica could see them falling in love with Lillian already.

“Vernon Boyd. Werewolf. I fly planes.”

“Isaac Lahey. Werewolf. I’m fluent in Italian AND French.” Isaac gave her a smirk. Scott elected to go after them, and Erica made sure to mentally note who everyone was that she didn’t know.

“Scott McCall. True Alpha. Married.” Stiles groaned loudly at Scott’s fact. “Okay fine. Also, Beacon Hills Veterinarian.”

“Kira Yukimura. Oh wait. Uh, Kira McCall. Kitsune. I have a black belt in karate.”

“Stiles Stilinski-Hale. Emissary. And in six days, I’ll be Sherriff.” He wiggled his eyebrows at his dad. Emissary, so not human. Okay. She didn’t expect that.

“Derek Stilinski-Hale. Werewolf. And in six days, I’ll be a stay at home dad.” This she knew. Derek and Stiles were adopting twins from an omega werewolf who was due to give birth on New Year’s Day. They were going to be great parents.

“Tom Stilinski. Human. Can the fact that I’m Sherriff still be my fact?” he asked his soon. Stiles rolled his eyes but nodded and smiled. Tom smiled back.

“Melissa Stilinski. Human. I’m the charge nurse at the hospital.” So she was not Mrs. McCall, but Mrs. Stilinski. Ten years is a long time.

“Peter Hale. Werewolf. Officially deemed not insane after 3 years in the nut house,” he said with wry grin. Erica liked him; she could tell that most of the pack didn’t really. But he seemed interesting, and she liked interesting. The circle then turned to look at couple leaning against the back wall.

“Lydia Martin. Banshee. I’m a biochemist and, as of an hour ago, officially engaged,” she said kissing the man next to her and lifting her left hand. He smiled as the room whooped and cheered. Stiles whistled loudly, pumping his fist in the air.

“Jordan Parrish. Phoenix. I’m an ex-army man and current deputy and the guy who conned the smartest woman he knows into marrying him.” Erica was surprised at Phoenix. She made a mental note to ask Stiles what exactly that meant later.

“Danny Mãhealani. Druid. I spent my last two years of high school in Hawaii learning the ways of the druid from my tu-tu. Which is interesting, but I also want to brag that I own my own software company.” Erica remembered Danny. He had always been polite to her; one of the nice ones, even when she had seizures. She was surprised to know that he had left Beacon Hills, even for just awhile.

“Ethan Mãhealani. Werewolf. I said part of my wedding vows in Hawaiian on an inactive volcano.” And that surprised her even more. She scanned the room but found no sign of Jackson Whittemore. She’d always thought he’d even up with Danny. This game of introductions was showing her that she didn’t know nearly as much about people as she thought she had in high school.

“Malia Hale. Werecoyote. I’m the daughter of the self-proclaimed non-insane man, and I was a coyote for 8 years.” Another interesting person for her to figure out. The Hales always were it seemed.

“Liam Dunbar. Werewolf. I used to have anger problems, but, you know, I have accounting now.” He shrugged, and Erica couldn’t quite place his personality. He seemed to be acting very stilted and standoffish.

“Brett Talbot. Werewolf. I’m a lawyer and the anchor that actually grounds his anger problems.” The man jerked his thumb at the younger man next to him with a smirk. Ah, Erica smiled at that. From their behavior, she could tell they were the newest couple here. She looked around the room at each of the people that had introduced themselves. Some were funny, some were sweet, some were strong, some were sarcastic, but they were all her pack, their pack. She couldn’t wait to get to know them all better. And to try that special moonshine that Stiles mentioned. She looked at Stiles, noticing a strange look on his face.

“Where is she? Everyone in the pack was supposed to be here for this,” he whispered to Derek. Derek looked concerned.

“I don’t know. She said she was getting something and coming over. She should be here,” he whispered back. Just then the door to the attic burst open and the scent of pizza filled the air. Aha, this was probably the last member of the pack that Stiles and Derek were waiting for.

“Cora? What are you doing here?” Isaac asked. She turned to look at her friend. His face was a mix of hurt, confusion, and shock. She looked between him and the woman who had just arrived. Cora stood looking open-mouthed at Isaac.

“Isaac? How?” she asked as she looked around. “You’re the new pack member? Where did you even go? I went back you know...and you were gone,” she whispered moving closer to him. And in that moment, Erica understood. She knew who this girl was.

“What was I supposed to do? Continue to have pizza and wine alone every Sunday? I went you know, every Sunday for three months. That’s twelve chances you have to come back. And you never did. You didn’t even say goodbye, Cora,” Isaac said staring at the ground. He looked so small that Erica wanted to hide him away from the world. She couldn’t do that, but she could stop everyone in the pack from witnessing this reunion. Blocking the pack’s view, Erica maneuvered Isaac and Cora out the door and down the staircase to the second floor landing. They wondered over to the sitting couch on the landing while Erica sat down on the staircase. If she strained her werewolf ears, she could still hear the conversation.

“Isaac, I’m so sorry. I got scared.” She looked into his eyes.

“Of what?” he asked.

“Of you. Of trusting you. I never trusted anyone after the fire, not really, not even Derek. But I found myself thinking that morning that I trusted you. I loved you. I was in love with you. And I freaked out and left. I’m so sorry,” she said quietly. Her hands were shaking. Isaac gently put her small hands into his own larger ones and waited patiently for the shaking to subside. “Isaac,” Cora whispered looking down at their hands, “it’s not past tense. I didn’t just love and trust you then. I still do. I’m still in love with you.” At her words, neither said anything or looked anywhere but at their joined hands. Finally, Isaac broke the silence.

“Well, I’m here now. And you’re here now. And we’re both in love with each other. So there’s that,” he said tilting her chin up so that their eyes met. And then he kissed her softly. Erica rose from the stairs and went back to the attic. Isaac was safe; she didn’t need to intrude any longer. As soon as she was in the attic, Stiles pounced on her.

“Now what exactly was that? And don’t even think of playing innocent. I know you know. Catwoman always knows,” he demanded handing her a drink. She sniffed it. It smelled like a mix of concentrated alcohol, wolfsbane, and peaches; it smelled very strange. She took a cautious sip; it tasted deliciously dangerous.

“Are you trying to get me drunk so I’ll spill all my secrets, Batman?” she asked with raised eyebrows. Stiles shook his head.

“No, I’m getting you drunk because your daughter is asleep, and you’re a werewolf so you’ve never been drunk. You’re going to spill your secrets because I’m your friend and you trust me,” he stated shrugging his shoulders and drinking his regular beer. She smiled. He was right, of course.

“If you want the whole story, you’re going to have to ask them. It isn’t mine to tell. But it has a happy ending, so I’m sure they’ll share it, in their own time,” she replied and smiled again. At that, Stiles smiled back at her. He looped his arm through hers and turned back to the pack, now mingling through the room laughing, dancing, drinking, and talking.

“You’re gonna fit in quite nicely around here. I’m sure of it. Now let’s go mingle and get drunk with our family,” he said, kissing her cheek and dragging her into the crowd. It was nice to be home.

**May 2022**

Erica was up to her ears in cookie dough when she caught the scent of her best friend in her home. She looked up from her kneading to see Stiles standing in the door frame smirking.  
“You have flour all over your face,” he stated watching her. She knew he was laughing internally.

“Hi, werewolf here, remember? I can smell your mockery. You know they say you’re supposed to keep pregnant women happy. And I’m feeling especially angry at you right this minute,” she said throwing her arms in the air. Flour and dough flew everywhere, but she was four months pregnant and she just couldn’t bring herself to care. Stiles headed towards the counter, taking over the cookie making. She washed her hands in the sink and then sat down on a stool in front of the island where the cookie mess was. “What brings you over today? Wedding, babies, a new evil in town, or are you just here to help me make cookies?” she asked him. He gave her his token grin. Dammit.

“Well, all of those actually. We need to have a pack meeting. Beacon Hills has a pixie problem recently. But I also came to make cookies from my pregnant best friend and check on my sister-in-law’s wedding plans,” he told her and he rolled the dough flat. He rummaged through her kitchen drawers until he found the wolf shaped cookie cutter she had there. As he began cutting cookies, she saw Vernon come in the kitchen at the same time a squealing Lillian was chased down the stairs into the kitchen by Isaac. Cora trailed after the two with a smile. Erica hopped off her stool so that Isaac could put Lillian down in her place. The little girl loved to watch Stiles make cookies. Erica walked to the dining room window and looked out. She placed her hands on her growing belly as she watched the beautiful mid-day sun of northern California in the spring. She heard someone approach her from behind. She knew by scent it was her husband. He wrapped his arms around her, hand settling on top of hers on her belly.

“Beautiful life you’ve created here, honey,” he murmured in her ear. “You’re the best thing to happen to this world. And I love you.” He kissed the top of her curls. She smiled. She didn’t think Vernon Boyd would ever believe her if she told him that wasn’t true. Because it wasn’t her that was the best thing to happen to this world, it was him. It was Lillian. It was Isaac. It was Stiles. It was Derek. It was her unborn child, Stiles’ twin boys, Cora, and Scott. The best thing to happen to this world wasn’t her. The best thing to happen to this world was her family, her pack.

*

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo if you like this or hate this or ya know, actually read it, let me know! Because I'm just a nerdy lady over here at a computer that wanted to try writing something. And I'm sure how well it actually went...
> 
> Come play with me on [tumblr](http://madamecristal.tumblr.com/) ♥


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